Electron microscopy of whole cells in liquid with nanometer resolution

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2009 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0809567106· OSTI ID:946473

De Jonge, Niels ^[1]; Peckys, Diana B ^[1]; Piston, David W ^[2]; Kremers, Gert-Jan ^[1]

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1. ORNL
2. Vanderbilt University

Single gold-tagged epidermal growth factor (EGF) molecules bound to cellular EGF receptors of fixed fibroblast cells were imaged in liquid with a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). The cells were placed in buffer solution in a micro-fluidic device with electron transparent windows inside the vacuum of the electron microscope. A spatial resolution of 4 nm and a pixel dwell time of 20 μs were obtained. The liquid layer was sufficiently thick to contain the cells with a thickness of 7 1 μm. The experimental findings are consistent with a theoretical calculation. Liquid STEM is a unique approach for imaging single molecules in whole cells with significantly improved resolution and imaging speed over existing methods.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL); Shared Research Equipment Collaborative Research Center
• Sponsoring Organization: ORNL LDRD Director's R&D
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 946473
• Journal Information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 106; ISSN PNASA6; ISSN 0027-8424
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
FIBROBLASTS
GROWTH FACTORS
RECEPTORS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SKIN
SPATIAL RESOLUTION
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY